App::environment() vs app()->environment() – Practically No Difference

In Laravel, we often have more than one way to do the same thing. In this case, let’s see if there’s any real difference between these two methods for getting the current environment:

• App::environment()
• app()->environment()

Let’s write a small test to compare how fast each one is:

$start = microtime(true);
$env1 = App::environment();
$time1 = microtime(true) - $start;

$start2 = microtime(true);
$env2 = app()->environment();
$time2 = microtime(true) - $start2;

$result = [
    'App::environment()' => [
        'value' => $env1,
        'time' => number_format($time1, 4) . ' seconds'
    ],
    'app()->environment()' => [
        'value' => $env2,
        'time' => number_format($time2, 4) . ' seconds'
    ]
];

dd($result);

Output

array:2 [
  "App::environment()" => array:2 [
    "value" => "local"
    "time" => "0.0001 seconds"
  ]
  "app()->environment()" => array:2 [
    "value" => "local"
    "time" => "0.0000 seconds"
  ]
]

What Did We Learn?

Both methods return the same value — "local", so there is no functional difference. The time difference is extremely small:

• App::environment() — 0.0001 seconds
• app()->environment() — 0.0000 seconds

Technically, app() might be slightly faster since it directly returns the application instance.

Which One Should You Use?

• Want cleaner, more readable code? Use App::environment()
• Need the fastest performance (like inside a big loop)? Use app()->environment()

Recommendations

• Pick one style and stick to it in your project for consistency.
• The performance difference is too small to worry about — don’t over-optimize.
• Use App::environment() for clarity, or app()->environment() for flexibility.
• If you often work with helper functions or service container access, app() can feel more natural.

Final Thoughts

They both work exactly the same. Choose the one that fits your style or project needs. Just remember: for most use cases, the difference doesn't really matter.